A warrant has been issued for a man guilty of assaulting a woman and stealing clothes from a shop.

Matthew King, 51, of Brightwell Road, Watford, was due to appear at St Albans Magistrates Court on October 4 for sentencing.

On June 14, King pleaded guilty to stealing sweatshirts worth £69.80 from Uniqlo at atria Watford shopping centre on June 30 last year.

Read more: Man charged after 'stealing from Watford town centre shops'

He pleaded not guilty to assaulting a woman by beating her on the same day and was due at St Albans Magistrates Court on Tuesday for trial. He failed to appear and was found guilty of assault in his absence

He has since further been charged with failing to surrender to police/court bail having been bailed following his court appearance in June.

A warrant has now been issued for his arrest.

Read more: Watford man sentenced for carrying knife

ALSO IN COURT

A warrant has also been issued to trace Sahrfilli Maturri of Upton Road, Watford.

On October 4, Maturri, 50, was found guilty in his absence of taking a Toyota Yaris without the owner’s consent in October 2020.

He was also found guilty of driving the Toyota in London Colney without a licence or insurance.

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